A year ago I wasn't sure I'd ever have the strength or agility to pedal this ride again and I catalogued it as a rehab "stretch goal." Maybe I could handle it by 2020, I imagined. Or maybe it's a piece of the planet I'd never see up close again. Turns out a lot of rehab exercise and a high-tech superbike got me there just under 2.5 years after I was a paralyzed

This has to be the most inspirational thing I have seen this year. Well done! I am very happy for you!

"My policies are based not on some economics theory, but on things I and millions like me were brought up with: an honest day's work for an honest day's pay; live within your means; put by a nest egg for a rainy day; pay your bills on time; support the police." M. Thatcher (RIP)
"...
Judges smoke it, even the lawyer too...So you've got to legalize it..." Peter Tosh

So awesome to get to ride in park city with gnarwhale last week. He's got some room to grow on the walking side of things but looks damn comfortable shredding a bike! Felt just like me after my injury... fuck this slow ass walking shit, get me a Yeti!

"We're in the eye of a shiticane here Julian, and Ricky's a low shit system!" - Jim Lahey, RIP

Grant is like a one-man cheer squad! The guy is pretty freaking pumped on life in general and on pedaling bikes together in particular.

This weekend I was riding in Moab with Grant Helgeson, who's been a close friend for 15 years and with whom I've shared hundreds of days on bikes, skis, and foot. Last time we hung out was over a year ago and I was just relearning to walk with a walker. So, it was really special to be out on the move with him again and I surprised even myself by cleaning nearly all of Navajo Rocks trail.

TJ, I've been telling everyone that if any human will overcome an injury like you suffered -- it's YOU.

Six days ago he rode the 101mi White Rim trail in 14 hours, three years from being medevaced. Rad!!!

Something about the wrinkle in your forehead tells me there's a fit about to get thrown
And I never hear a single word you say when you tell me not to have my fun
It's the same old shit that I ain't gonna take off anyone.
and I never had a shortage of people tryin' to warn me about the dangers I pose to myself.

Six days ago he rode the 101mi White Rim trail in 14 hours, three years from being medevaced. Rad!!!

Haha, thanks Tye, Elf and TBS. I was feeling pretty good about that. I'm flattered my recovery is still of interest

For years I was on this site a lot, like nearly every day. Just today I realized it'd been months since I've logged on and there's something pretty melancholy about it. If it was Dec 20, 2013 instead of 2017 I would be tweaking about the current lack of snow in the West. Instead I'm like "Meh, at least the local bike trails are still rideable for quick afternoon laps."

For a handful of years skiing was my source of income, my social scene, exercise, a way to feel euphoric presence in the moment, a way to process life's shit in my head, validation from peers, a way to just have fun and feel like a kid, my creative outlet, a way to scare myself silly, a way to measure personal growth... it checked a lot of boxes for me and this forum was a primary enabler of how it transformed my identity.

As huuuuge as my recovery has been, I dont think I'll ever have the athleticism or mobility I enjoyed before and it seems unlikely that skiing will ever hold the same importance im my life. That's okay, but I do hope that I can continue to find ways to fill the vacuum that skiing and this community occupied; 3 years post-accident and it still feels like there's some big pieces I'd like to sort out.

If nothing else, bikes are still really fun. And maybe it will get around to snowing, sooner or later, this year

Whoop! Yesterday I pedaled the 101mi White Rim 4x4 trail in just over 14hrs. 3 years ago yesterday I was a week out from being paralyzed and on an excruciating 20hr flight back to the States. This commute was about a million times more fun.

I suppose committing to this ride was an act of gratitude + defiance + finding my edges. Gratitude for my recovery, defiance of the odds against ever being able to do something like this after spine injury, and the giddy/anxious feeling of taking on a mission that you don't know if you can finish.

I pedaled solo, carrying all my water, food, and emergency gear. I'm glad I wasn't counting on mooching a water refill from a jeep because not a single truck or other cyclist was on the route. It felt so alive to have that wide, wild landscape to myself!

I started riding counter clockwise from the bottom of Schaffer to get the longest climb out of the way first. After dropping down Mineral Bottom to the Green River about 30 miles in, the road turned to deep moon dust the consistency of talcum powder. It mostly disappeared after Hardscrabble Hill but it's been such a dry fall that jeeps have churned up the road into loose drifts anyplace it gets really steep. Id planned to ride the loop the other direction and was thankful for @drewtookapicture 's advice to not save those difficult dust pits for the very end. I would've ended up face down in them if I had

I was crawling into the pain cave the last 15 miles. Everything ached, my legs were noodles, and I started having trouble keeping my right foot on the pedal. When I'd try to stand my legs would give out. But my head was in a good spot, motivated and clear. This ride is so much more sustained effort than anything I've done since my accident that I wasn't totally sure how my body would hold up. I carried a bivy and warm clothes just in case, but they never got unpacked. When people talk about doing something "off the couch" I think this is what they mean.